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On Apr 4, 2005, at 9:52 PM, road's end farm wrote:

> On Apr 4, 2005, at 1:41 PM, joanrrosenberg@aol.com wrote:
>
> > <x-tad-bigger> Not all cats climb trees, so if you want cats that will go after squirrels by going up the tree, you have ask around to find one for adoption.  </x-tad-bigger>
> > <x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
>
> Even cats that love to climb trees may not catch many squirrels, as squirrels are even better in trees than cats are. My excellent mousers climb after the squirrels, but the squirrels retreat to the tiniest branches (which won't hold the cats) and scold at them. If your cat habitually hangs out in a given tree, however, the squirrels might prefer to spend their time in a different one.
>
> Many dogs (including mine) also chase squirrels, but the squirrels almost always beat the dog to the tree.

I have three cats.  The best climber doesn't chase squirrels.  The one who chases squirrels does climb, but I don't think he's ever caught a squirrel that made it to the tree.  He has killed three or four squirrels, and innumerable chipmunks.  He's an optomist, though.  Not only does he chase squirrels up trees, I've seen him climb through bushes attempting to nab birds.  He's never caught a bird, though.  (The climber has caught some birds, but that stopped when I removed the feeder she could jump to.)

Summary:  Each cat is different.  Some are excellent at killing small mammals.  Some like birds, snakes, insects, etc.  Some don't catch prey at all.  (My third cat has never chased anything more exciting than a stray feather.)  I have no idea if you can predict what kind of a hunter one will be when you acquire it.

Ginda